Panasonic Viera TX-55CS520B review
A keenly priced Full HD smart TV with good image quality, but there aren't enough HDMI ports
Specifications
Screen size: 55in, Native resolution: 1,920×1,080, Video inputs: 2x HDMI, SCART, Component, Tuner: Freeview HD, Dimensions: 757x1242x230 Buy the Panasonic Viera TX-55CS520B now from John Lewis
Audio quality is genuinely impressive for such a cheap TV. A pair of 10W speakers deliver crisp and punchy sound with plenty of stereo separation, and speech is clear while music is reasonably well served, with even a hint of bass making an appearance. The fact that this TV is able to deliver great sound on a budget is obviously very important: having to splash out on a set of speakers or soundbar would miss the point of buying a budget TV in the first place.
Because it’s a budget model, you don’t get Panasonic’s intriguing Firefox OS-based smart TV interface and you’re instead saddled with My Home Screen, the ageing smart TV software we’ve often taken issue with in the past. However, more recent Panasonic TVs have shown signs of improvement and while the fairly clunky home screens remain, the default layout is much more usable, with the main home screen gaining a reasonably useful EPG instead of the mostly useless calendar applications of old.
A full complement of the UK’s biggest catchup TV services are available; BBC iPlayer, ITV Player, All 4 (formerly 4OD) and Demand 5. Netflix is pre-installed and even gets a dedicated button on the remote control, and Amazon Instant Video, Wuaki.tv and YouTube are available too. You can download additional applications from Panasonic’s store but they’re not essential.
You also get Freesat’s Freetime EPG, which is useful for searching for upcoming shows on different channels. For example, search for Top Gear and you get all showings from BBC Three and Dave. You can’t really do anything with these results though; it would be useful, for example, if you could set a reminder for a showing, but you can’t. Steady improvements, then, but everything still feels a little inconsistent.
The weakest part of this TV is connectivity. You get just two HDMI inputs, which is seriously stingy. This 55in TV is going to be the centre of a living room, but only being able to plug in two external devices via HDMI is severely limiting.
The second HDMI port at least supports audio return channel, so you can output sound to a set of home cinema speakers. There’s SCART connector and a set of component ports, too, as well as an S/PDIF audio connector. Finally, there’s a USB port so you can play videos and view images from external storage devices.
The Panasonic TX-55CS520B is a great value 55in Full HD TV. Its smart TV interface is a mixed bag and a dearth of HDMI ports are small stumbling blocks, but for £800 you’re getting a capable television for a family on a budget with a large living room. If this isn’t suitable for your needs then check out our regularly updated Best TVs and buying guide. Buy the Panasonic Viera TX-55CS520B now from John Lewis
HARDWARE | |
---|---|
Screen size | 55in |
Native resolution | 1,920×1,080 |
Aspect ratio | 16:9 |
3D | None |
Contrast ratio | Not stated |
Brightness | Not stated |
Speakers | 2x 10W |
Video inputs | 2x HDMI, SCART, Component |
Audio inputs | None |
Audio outputs | Optical S/PDIF, 3.5mm audio jack |
Tuner | Freeview HD |
Streaming TV services | BBC iPlayer, ITV Player, All 4, Demand 5 |
Media Streaming | DLNA |
Dimensions | 757x1242x230 |
BUYING INFORMATION | |
Price including VAT | £799 |
Warranty | One year RTB |
Supplier | www.currys.co.uk |
Details | www.panasonic.om |
Part code | TX55CS520B |